Film spool box



Oct. 21, 1969 P. A. 1.. Posso 3,473,649

FILM SPOOL BOX Filed July 5, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: Pierre A.L. P0550 BY M :2

United States Patent US. Cl. 206-52 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSUREThis invention relates to a box to contain a spool of cinematographicfilm or magnetic film or tape which is in two parts, viz, a cover and abody. In a plurality of opposed corners of the cover and the body thereare each provided the cooperating members of a catch or locking deviceoperable by relative sliding movement. These catches or locking devicesare located in such a position that their axes of movement are at rightangles to a common pivot axis of the two parts of the box. Preferablyeach corner of the box is provided with a catch or locking device.

Boxes made of plastics material are already known which are intended tocontain a spool of cinematographic film or magnetic film or tape so thatit may be protected from dust and so that it can be sent by post.

In order that the box may be closed very securely, the known boxes have,at the four corners thereof, independent rotary catches which enable thecover to be firmly tightened on the body of the box. The rotary memberof these catches may occupy two positions, in one of which locking pinsare engaged with fixed catches and in the other of which these pins areplaced opposite disengagement slots.

Because the four above-mentioned catches are independent, it isnecessary to place them all in the same condition by operating them oneafter the other, in order to either open or close the box. In practice,it has been established that the operator often forgets to operate oneof them or does it incompletely and consequently the box cannot beopened or closed without reverifying the suitable positioning of all thecatches.

Moreover, in order to close the box, it is necessary that the male partsof all the catches be previously and simultaneously in engagement in thefemale parts. This operation is delicate because it is necessary toeffect a centering operation, this not being convenient nothing isprovided to facilitate it. Finally, as the catches are completelyembedded in the box, their operation is often difiicult due to the poorgrip which they afford and the resistance which they sometimes offer.

The present invention has for an object to remove or minimise thesedisadvantages by providing a box in which the locking is effectedsimultaneously at the corners simply by pivoting the two opening partsof the box in relation to one another.

To this end the invention consists in a box to contain a spool ofcinematographic film or magnetic film or tape, comprising two parts, ina plurality of opposed corners of which are each provided theco-operating members of a catch or locking device operable by relativesliding movement, said devices being so located that their axes ofmovement are at right angles to a common pivot axis of the two parts ofthe box.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment,

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each catch or locking device comprises, on one of the parts of this box,a stem with a projecting head, and on the other part, a bayonet slot orbuttonhole bordered by at least one holding ramp co-operating with theabovementioned head.

The two parts of the box comprise internal circular rims defining ahousing for the spool and normally interlocking in one another in orderto constitute a centering element.

In addition, in order to ensure a positive locking of the box for thepurpose of avoiding sudden openings, particularly during transport, atleast one of the locking stems is coupled with a concealable locking pincooperating with the enlarged opening of the corresponding bayonet slotor buttonhole.

Moreover, in order to prevent the spool from moving inside the box evenonly slightly, the base of at least one of the parts of this box isprovided with a foam layer.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference willnow. be made to the accompanying drawings which show fine embodimentthereof by way of example and in which:

FIGURES l and"2 show plan views with parts broken away, showingthelassembly of the box in the locked and unlocked positionsrespectively,

FIGURES 3 and 4 show part sections to a larger scale, along the linesIIIIII and IVIV respectively of FIG- URES 1 and 2,

FIGURE 5 shows a part section shown to a larger scale along the line VVof FIGURE 1 and showing the box in another position which is that whichthe two parts of this box are in before they are locked, and

FIGURES 6 and 7 show part sections shown along the lines VIVI andVII-VII respectively of FIGURES l and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the two parts 1 and 2 of the box will behereinafter referred to as the body and the cover, although theiraverage thickness is substantially the same in the example shown,because the spool of film or tape 3 to be stored is housed in the body1.

The body 1 has a fiat base 4 to which is securely fixed an external rim5 which is substantially square shaped but with rounded corners, and aninternal circular rim 6. At each of its corners, the base 4 of the body1 has a hollow boss 7 adjoining a thickening 8 of the rim 6. Theexternal rim 5, the four boses 7 and the thickening 8 of the body 1 forma joint plane because, when the box is closed, they are appliedrespectively against an external rim 9, 4 angle bosses 10 and aninternal circular rim 11 situated thereopposite and which are securelyfixed to the base 12 of the cover 2. The hollow bosses 10 adjoin thecircular rim 11, which surrounds the circular rim 6 of the body 1, whenthe box is closed.

The bosses 7 of the body are securely fixed to stems 13 provided with aprojecting head 14. The stems are parallel to the geometrical axis ofthe rim 6 and are equidistant from this axis.

These stems 13 co-operate with bayonet slots or buttonholes 15 made inthe bosses 12 of the cover 2. The longitudinal axis of the slots 15 isconcave and centered on the geometrical axis of the internal circularrim 11 of the cover. Moreover, the polar radius of the axis of saidslots is equal to the distances between the stem 13 and the geometricalaxis of the circular rim 6.

As FIGURES 1 to 5 show, an enlarged opening 15a of the bayonet slot orbuttonhole 15 is slightly greater than the head 14 of the stems 13whilst an elongated narrowing part 1512 of said slots or buttonholes hasa width slightly greater than the diameter of said stems. Moreover, thepart 15b is bordered on its periphery by a holding ramp 16 which risesfrom the enlarged opening 15a to the opposite end of the slots orbuttonholes where it is substantially horizontal. The ramp 16 cooperatesmoreover with the projecting part of the corresponding head 14.

FIGURE 5 also shows that the height of the centering H of the internalrim 6 of the body 1 with respect to the above mentioned joint plane isgreater than the height of projection h of the pins 13 in relation tosaid joint plane.

In order to close the box, the cover 2 is placed on the body 1 so thatthe external rims 5 and 9 are situated opposite one another and so thatthe internal rim 11 is engaged over the internal rim 6. In thisposition, the bosses of the cover 2 rest on the heads 14 of the stem 13of the body 1 (FIGURE 5) because these heads are situated opposite thenarrow part b of the slots 15 of the cover.

It being understood that the cover 2 is centered with respect to thebody 1, since the internal circular rims 6 and 11 are engaged in oneanother over a height H-h, it is to turn the cover in the direction ofthe arrow F in relation to the body, which is assumed to be fixed, inorder to guide the large openings 15a of the slots 15, opposite the head14. When this position is reached, the cover is released and the heads14 and the stem 13 engage in the enlarged openings 15a of the slots 15at the same time as the internal rim 6 becomes completely engaged in therim 11 until the cover is applied against the body by the elements whichform the above-mentioned joint plane.

The cover 2 is then turned in the direction opposite to that of thearrow F in relation to the body 1, which is assumed to be fixed, thishaving for its effect to ensure the locking by contact of the projectingpart of the heads 14 with the holding ramps 16 which border thenarrowing parts 15b of the slots 15 in which the stems 13 are nowsituated.

When it is desired to open the box, the cover 2 is turned in thedirection of the arrow F in order to bring the enlarged part 15a of theslots 15 opposite the heads 14 and said cover is moved in order todisengage said heads.

In addition, it is advantageous to fix the spool in the body 1 in orderto avoid shocks being produced between the flanges of said latter andthe internal rim 6 if handled roughly. To this end, a thin foam disc 17is applied to the base 4 of the body 1 in order to be in contact withthe corresponding flange of the spool.

It will be apparent that each locking device may be of a type other thanthat shown and described.

In fact, each stem with projecting head and the cooperating bayonet slotor buttonhole may be replaced by cambered square fingers, securely fixedto the body and the cover respectively, one of these fingers carrying aninclined holding ramp, or by a different kind of bayonet device or aspile and tapered socket device. The essential thing is that fourdevices of the chosen type are arranged in the four corners of the boxbetween the internal and external framework and that each of theselocking devices works by sliding in a direction at right angles to theaxis of the internal framework which enables a rotary guiding to beobtained facilitating the simultaneous operation of all the catchdevices in order to open or close the box.

In order to avoid a sudden opening of the box, particularly when it isknocked, it may be advantageous to combine with the four rotary catchdevices, a manually controlled locking member which can oppose saidrotation.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, one of the locking stems 13 iscoupled to a concealable locking pin 18 which may cooperate with theenlarged opening 15a of one of the bayonet slots or buttonholes 15(FIGURES l, 2, 6 and 7). This locking pin comprises a dowel split at 1%so as to be resiliently deformable radially. It as mounted to slide in asleeve 20 formed to project inside the hollow boss 7 which carries theassociated stem 13. The sleeve is open at its two ends so that the dowelpin 18 is accessible from the outside, either through theabove-mentioned boss 7 of the body 1 or through the boss 10 situatedopposite the cover 2. In the first case, the dowel pin 18 may be pushedin the direction of the arrow F 1 in order to engage it in the enlargedopening 15a of the slot 15 and thus lock the cover with respect to thebody (FIG. 6). In the second case, the dowel pin 18 may be pushed in thedirection opposite the arrow F1 in order to disengage it from the slot15 and thus unlock the cover relatively to the body, the only reasonbeing that it can be opened by rotation (FIG. 7), In order substantiallyto determine the projecting locking position (FIG. 6) and the coveredrest position (FIG. 7) of the sliding pin 18, this latter has twogrooves 21 and Z2 separated by annular projections and in which may belocated a flange 23 of the sleeve 20. In the locked position illustratedin FIG. 6, the flange 23 of the sleeve 20 is housed in the groove 22while in the rest position, shown in FIG. 7, it is situated in thegroove 21. On passing from one of these positions to the other, thethrust exerted on the pin 18 has for its eifect to deform it radiallyand, therefore, makes it easier for the flange 23 to clear theintermediate projection which separates the two grooves 21 and 22.

When the box is closed in the manner prescribed previously, it issuflicient, to lock it, to push on the pin 18 in the direction of arrowF1 so that it occupies the position of FIG. 6 in the slot 15 situatedthereopposite. On the other hand, when it is desired to open the box, asindicated above, it is necessary previously to disengage the pin bypushing it in the direction opposite the arrow F1 until it occupies therest position as shown in FIG. 7.

I claim:

1. A box to contain a spool of cinematographic film or magnetic film ortape, comprising two parts, and a plurality of locking devices eachdisposed in a respective one of a plurality of opposed corners of saidbox and each composed of cooperating members one of which members isdisposed on one of the parts of said box and comprises a stem with aprojecting head and the other of which members is disposed on the otherpart of said box and comprises a bayonet slot bordered by at least oneholding ramp arranged to cooperate with said head, said devices beingsimultaneously operable by relative sliding movement of said two parts,said devices being so located that their axes of movement are at rightangles to a common pivot axis of the two parts of the box, and said twoparts having internal circular rims defining a housing for the spool andnormally interlocking in one another in order to act as a centeringelement for said devices.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the height of centering of theinternal circular rims is greater than the height of projection of thestems in relation to the plane of the joint between the two parts of thebox.

3. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said stems iscoupled with a concealable locking pin cooperating with the enlargedopening of the corresponding bayonet slot.

4. A box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking pin is a split dowelmounted to slide in a sleeve of the part of this box carrying the saidstem coupled with the pin, annular projections being formed in the fixedsleeve and the sliding dowel in order to determine the projectinglocking position and the covered rest position of said latter.

5. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base or at least one of itsparts is provided with a foam layer in order to fix the spool housed inthis box.

6. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein each corner thereof is providedwith a locking device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 2/1963 Craig 22040 2/ 1965Hollingsworth 206-52 X 1/ 1967 Fattori 206-52 MARTHA L. RICE, PrimaryExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

